Hyderabad: Makkah Masjid will continue to remain closed till government issues clarification on the number of worshippers allowed in the mosque.
This decision was taken keeping in view of the number of worshippers that usually comes to the mosque to offer Friday and regular prayers.
Superintendent of Makkah Masjid, Abdul Khadeer Siddiqui said that thousands of worshipers offer Friday prayers in the mosque whereas, a few hundred offer regular prayers.
Capacity of Makkah Masjid
He said that the mosque has the capacity to accommodate 10000 worshippers. On Friday, 3000-5000 persons offers namaz and on special occasion, the count crosses the maximum capacity of the mosque.
As the mosque was closed for nearly three months, the number of worshippers who wanted to offer prayer at the mosque may increase. In such a situation, it will be difficult to stop people from entering the mosque.
In order to take all precautionary measure and avoid any spread of coronavirus, he sought clarity on the number of worshippers that can be allowed to offer prayers in the mosque.
Shahi Masjid
Following the footsteps of Makkah Masjid, Shahi Masjid Bagh-e-Aam mosque authorities also decided not to allow general public from offering prayer in the mosque premises.
Meanwhile, after government allowed religious places to reopen for public, managing committees and caretakers of mosques made arrangements to meet the new requirements of physical distancing to check the spread of COVID-19.
Precautionary measures
As a precautionary measure mosques will keep the toilets and ablution rooms shut. People have been told to come prepared from their homes.
Jamia Nizamia, the renowned Islamic University of Hyderabad, has issued two separate fatwas permitting social distancing and wearing of masks during prayers.